MARCH 19TH

Empty Free-booters, cover'd with Scorn:They went out for Wealth, & come ragged and torn,

— Benjamin Franklin,1742

AMERICANREVOLUTION.ORG

LETTER BOOK OF
CAPTAIN ALEXANDER McDONALD,OF THE
ROYAL HIGHLAND EMIGRANTS
June, 1777

To CAPT. ROBERT McKENZIE.

Halifax 11th June 1777

DR. SIR.

I had the honour of receiving your favour
of the 28th May, in regard to the arrears & Dont. Doubt that
errors will be rectifyd - as for the Capts. & Subals. Im
Sorry that I must let you know that they are all Shagreend at
the uncertainty of their establishment which they were taught
to believe from the beginning would be the Case the Most part
of the officers in this Core haveing a just title to it from
their long Service and those Gentlemen who emigrated from the
North of Scotland having an equal title from unfeigned Loyalty
natural atachment and uncomon sufferings having left their families
and interest without making any previous agreement or security
with Government in their favour - I supose it is not unknown
to you that the greatest number of these Gentlemen are still
in Closs Confinement and those who has been thought of the least
Consequence and left at home with their Diffirent families have
been bound to the trees and scourg'd with hickrie rods.

I beg your pardon for troubling you with this
Degrission from business but I hope it will apear to you in the
same light as Does to me and that you will make a proper representation
of it - Inclosed I Send you the abstract or pay bill ending the
24th June by which you See I have payd for the provetions Given
this Battalion from their first Commencement undermy Command till the 24th aprile 1777 being £2072.1.5
1/2 as you may see by the receipt at the end of the Acct. inclosed
also three receipts of the same tenor and Date,.

In the Muster ending 24th aprile you have
Credited Mr Turner £26.17.10 more then you ought to have
Done as you may see by the Accts. that I have Sent You which
you'l find to be £1460-10-0 1/2 being theexact Sum I received for that Muster and which I supose
youl find to be very just, according to the number of officers
and men that I Drew for that Muster including thirty Contingent
men who are always included in the number of privats Drawn for.

In regard to the prisoners I Drew no money
for them or those that were absent by leave being aprehensive
that Subsistince might be Drawn for them by some means where
they were -

There are some hints in your letter that I
have no time to Consider or answear at present, upon the whole
you need not lay any blame to my Charge. The Contingent Acct.
I sent you Contain no more then what I was taught to believe
to be justly Due to the Regiment but Depending upon your Superior
Jugement in these Matters I sent the acct unsign'd in order to
be inspiered by you and to Send me a warrant to receive what
you thought was our just Due and if it is agreeable to the Commanding
officers of the Regiment I have no more to Say.

I know perfectly well what other Regiments
Draw in their Contingent Accts. and we think ourselves as much
intitled to every emolument that Goverment allows as any Regiment
in America. I am Sure we Do as much Duty as any and would have
been very happy it was of another kind and on real Service with
the rest of the army where I presume to say we should not be
Short of any other regiment there of our numbers.

In the mean time we look upon ourselves to
be in the way of our Duty wherever his excellency the Comander
in Chief is pleasd to order us.

The reason of the preamble in this abstract
ending the 24th june being So long is to make it as Clear as
posable to you those Gentlemen who had never been Drawn for before
either subsistence or arrears which youl please take notice of
the next time the arrears are paid which now becomes Due the
24th Of this Month.

I am of the same opinion with you that it
wou'd be much more Substantial for me to get myself promoted
than geting an Ensigncy for my Son and I think it would be no
more thin I have a just title to if his Excellencie Should Send
me a Commission as Major to this Batalion which Certainly ought
to have more than one field officer and I believe there is not
an officer in the army would begrudge it to me and I have the
greatest dependence of his excellencies justice and goodness
and on your friendship to keep him in mind of me.

I'll encroach no farther on your time but
Conclude with asuring that I am with the greatest regard and
esteem Dear Sir

Your Most Obedt & Most humbl Servt.

Capt. Robert McKinzie.

P.S.

The Exact State, wch. I promised to send you,
is contained in the pay bill or Abstract ending the 24th June
only that you will observe the 30 Contingent men are included
in the Number of Privates.

I mentioned to you in my former L'res that
I should be glad to have leave to go to Statten Island for 2
or 3 Months to look after my place there wch.istotally
Ruined. I am told that £1000 will not indemnify me for
the Damages I sustained All my fences burned & my Woods cut
down wch. render the place unfit for any use and makes me Loser
Of £200 Ster. pr year wchmight easily be cleared
off of that place so near to New York at the Rate that Country
produce sells there at present however if there is the least
appearance of Danger from the Rebels making any Attempt on this
province I wd not entertain the least thought of leaving the
Regimt.

To ---

Halifax 11th June 1777
SIR

The Bearer hereof William white formerly of
your Regiment has been with me for some time past in the Capacity
of a servant being entirely unfitt to Serve as a Soldier owing
to a lameness in one of his legs he now goes along with other
three of your Regiment and expects to get his Clearance and Discharge
from you and indeed we are entirely at a loss in this young Core
for want of good Servants that I would be infinitely obliged
to you for Dischargeing him and leting him return to me I will
readily agree to pay five guinies for his Discharge tho as a
Soldier he is not worth a Shilling as he Can neither March or
Stand a quarter of an hour under arms.

I have sent Acct of these four men's Subsistence
from the time they join d our Regiment till the 24th June 1777
to Capt. Robert McKenzie, Secrety to the Commander in Chief with
an order on the Commanding officer of the 26th Regiment for the
whole amount and his recept will be a suficient Discharge for
the Same.

If you are Still on my place in Staten Island
as Im. informd. your Regiment was Stationd there I will be infinitely
obligd to you if youl give every possable asistence to my Brother
in law in allowing your men to work in Cultivating the farm Making
up the fences &c. as the place has been ruind by the troops
last Summer.

If matters are going on right I hope to have
the pleasure of seeing you before the fall we has no news from
this quarter only that we are in peace and quietness - please
remember me to the Gentlemen of your Core & I am &c Sir
your Most obet humble Servt

P.S. the Sum £6.11 1/2 mentioned in
Edwd Justree's Accot as Levy money was so Much Cash advanced
him on Accot

[To DONALD McLEAN.]

Halifax 11th June 1777
DEAR DONALD,

I received your letter Some time agoe and
I was extreamly happy to hear of your wellfare you made mention
that I was a trifle in your Dept which may very likely be the
Case but we must first setle Accts with the rebells before you
and I Comes to Settlement for I'm not in the way of Making Money
by hundreds & thousands as you are at present Selling Drugs
at 5000 Pr Ct advance however Im willing to do justice to all
the world and I hope to god when all these troubles are at an
end I will be as able as Im willing to Do justice to all those
that I am in the least indepted to.

I have no news to trouble you with all your
friends in this Core are very well also Mrs McDonald and my little
family. She Desires to be Most Kindly rememberdto you and would be very much obligd to you if you
would Contrive to Send her one of the best Midwives in New York
-- As very likely she may have need for Such within two Months
from this Date: the vast quantity of fish got in this place has
a wonderful efect on old grey haird. people but nott your old
head neither fish or flesh Can produce any good efects from you.
please to remember me kindly to all good friends and believe
me to be Dr Dond

Yours Sincerely

[To WILLIAM McLEOD.]

Halifax 11th June 1777

DR SIR.

I have wrote you So often from this place
without ever receiving an answear that Im Determind to write
no more till I hear from you.

In regard to your affairs & mine you need
not be inthe least uneasie as I hope
Soon to have the pleasure of Seeing you and Setleing every thing
to our Mutual Satisfaction - remember me kindly to Mrs. McLeod
and the Childeren when the Devil will you & I give over our
foolish tricks Im told you are geting young ones as fast as any
young man in the Country and my fatt frow is now within two Months
of being on the Straw.

If I can obtain leave you may expect to see
me in the fall in the meantime if you see McDonald of Princetown
tell him to Make himself easie altho I am very angry with him
for having Sent his Son a Drumer among the rebels after giving
him Colidge Education.

This being all I have to say I remain

Dr Sir Yours &c & &c

To WILLIAM McADAMS.

Halifax June 14h 1777

DR SIR.

To give you an Accot of all my Transactions
& Movements Since I had the pleasure of seeing you Wd be
taking up your time to little or no purpose. I can only tell
you that I & My family are well & that we're all in peace
& quietness in this part of the World.

I send you inclosed two Accots with an order
to receive their Contents & keep it in your hands till you
hear from Major Small or me only if my Brother in Law to whom
I left the care of my farm on Statten Island Should be any Ways
successful in Inlisting men for this Corps let him have a Little
money and will be much obliged to you if you will take a little
Concern in the management Of that place. Should a little money
be wanted for repairing the fences & other Damages done by
the troops be so good as to advance it at any rate I am apprehensive
that a Great Deal of money may be made on that place if it was
properly managed as matters go at this time.

A poor Countryman of ours one Hugh Peebles
who is going wth this fleet to New York begged me to recommend
him to some person there, if you have any Employmt for him I
beg you will help him as you find his merit Deserves he bears
the Character of an honest man.

I had the Managemt. & Care of this Battn.
Since two of them were together I had the Drawing of their money
keeping their Accots Superintendg their Discipline &ca. till
Major Small arrived here last month we gave an hundred men to
Colo. McLean to recruit the Battn. in Canada We have forty or
fifty prisoners with the Enemy We have three companies absent
on Duty one at Newfoundland & two at Windsor one of wch is
our Light Infantry Compy & not inferior to any in his Majesty's
army we have three Small Detachments from this Garrison Yet under
all these Circumstances I referr you to Major Batt for an Accot
of our Appearance when reviewd. by Genl. Massy & when we
were introduced to our new Colours. As belonging to a young Corps
himself we don't expect he will tell you any more than the truth
& as a Gentlemn I am Sure he will tell you no less. As for
a Corps of Officers we yield to none in the Army. Scarce three
Captns. in both Battns. but what has Served from 20 to 32 Years
from our former & prest. Services we think ourselves Justly
entitled to be Established & we don't Doubt but our just
& Gracious King & Country will do justice to our Merit.

If you think the last paragraph worthy of
a place in your Newspaper you may have it inserted but first
doyou & Dr. Middleton put your heads
together & Dress it up a little to make proper Language of
it.

Remember me kindly to him & all other
friends Especially Mrs. McAdams & believe me to be yrs. Affectionately

To JNO. OGILVIE, ESQR

Halifax 14th June 1777

SIR.

I am much Surprized & Concerned that I
never heard from you since I sent you a Bill of £305.6.8
on Harly & Dromond. I beg on Rect. of this you will not fail
to send me an answer & let me know the Fate of this Bill
- Capt. Murd. McLean is also Surprized at your Silence we are
all very well & both Battns almost complete in Men &
Officers not inferior to any Regimt. under the Crown. I hopes
to hear from you soon I remain Sir

Yr hble & Obedt Servt

Be pleased to forward the inclosed without
the Expence of postage if possible

To Wm McDONALD ESQR

14th June 1777

DR SIR.

Inclosed you have a Letter for my Brother
wch I beg you will forward by the first safe conveyance
after it comes to your hands. I have no news to trouble you with
but wt. you have more perfect at home than I can give you we're
at Such a Distance from head Qrs that all the Proceedings of
the Army are much more perfect & Sooner in Great Britain
than we have. Our Bn Commanded by Major Small is now Complete
to a few Men & Colo. McLean's in Canada is also complete
& both of them as to men & Offrs not inferior to any
Regiment under the Crown wth Complimts to all Enquiring friends

I am Dr Sir Yrs.

To LIEUTT BLISS.

Halifax 14th June 1777

SIR.

I understand you wrott to major Small &
I was Surpriz'd I did not hear from you in the way of Bussiness.
When mr mcClower went from here Both the Major & I were in
Such hurrie that we Could not writt, and I can not think you
can be at a lose for want of money from the Sums you have Drawn
on me; I am afraid You Willnot be allowed Bounty or Subsistance
but for the number that arrived here and I fear there is a Misstake
in Giving Creadit for the Rations of Provision.

Mr Hatch made up an account against you for
his Subsistance from his first enterance to 24th Feby 1777 and
for Apprehending Desirter to the amount of twelve pounds Ster'g,
in Short you will be pleased to render me an account Current
for all the Cash you Received Since you took the command of that
Company. You will charge for the Company compleat from 24th June
1776 to 24th august 1777, You will Charge for all the Recruitts
that joined the Battalion from the Datts of their attestations
to the time you Settled with them at Newfoundland Bounty Money
for the same and you will Charge for all your Supernumberarys
in a recruiting accpt the Eight Boys included at least as many
of them as are not on the Strength of the Company you will Charge
in this Genl. acount for the monney pay'd Mr McClower for the
Passage, those he brought And you will also charge for your own
& Mr Hawkins Subsistce. You will credit for all the Difft
Sums you recd from me Specifying the Difft. Bills or by every
other ways or means you have recd. Cash from me You will also
Credit the Accot with all the Rations you have recd from the
Beginning to the 24th of August as well for the Recruits as for
the Comy. You will Require to be very exact in this particular
as all your Rec'ts forProvisions will
be sent to the Commissary General who will give them to the paymaster
General who will pay them out of the Subsistce.of the
Regimt. they will at last come to my hands & will be compared
to your Accot.

The Major will Acquaint you of his own Intentions
concerning the Company & believe he means to bring you from
thence if possible in regard to money I Spoke to MrCochran who told me he wd. give a bill on Mr McClure
for what I wd want that you might not be at any loss I shall
get Mr Cochran to writeto Mr McClure
to let you have what you may want to the Amount of two or three
hundred Dollars till I have recd. your Accot or heard from you
further.

The Major will not trust the Clothing but
in a man of war tho' we are all Sensible its much wanted we must
contrive to Send it you before the Cold comes in if you remain
there so long. My Compl'ts to Mr. Hawkins Mr. McClure & I
am Sir

Yr most obt. & humble Servt.

To JOHN OGILVIE ESQR

Halifax 19th June 1777

SIR

Since my last of the 14th inst Capt. Murdoch
McLaine applyed to me for a Bill of a hunderd pounds Sterg. which
he wanted for a particullar use and which I beggyou would Honor and Charge to my Privat account, as
the Bill I sent You of 305. 6 8 was intirly on my own acount
& no part of the Regts money, & as I havenot heard of the fate of that Bill I sende you now
the Seconde of the Same tenor and Date, I have Drawn on you before
for £58=0=0 Ster'lg in favour of Mr. Turner that you might
be able to take up a bill of that Sums Drawn on the Treasury
by Capt. Dun Campbellof our Regt when
Prisoner at Philadelphia but now here. Your news papers are certainly
with regard to theprogress of our forces
in America truer than our Acco'ts. I am Sir in heart,

Yours &c

A. M. D.

To PHILLP CALLBECK, ESQR ISLAND ST JOHN CHAR-
LOTTE TOWN.

Halifax 24th June 1777
DRSIR,

I have recd. Yours of the 21st May Covering
a copy of Your Letter to Captn. Boyle & Copy of Wm Ball's
attestation the only method left in my power to reimburse any
expences you have been at about Ball is to make you a present
of him having Applyd. to Major Small who is here on the Spot
for his consent & approbation of this he readily agreed.
Indeed he & I Never as yet Differd in Sentiments so if this
overtakes Mr Ball on the Island You are to take him a Shore to
join yr Compy.

As for Corpl. Morrison he belongs properly
to the first Battalion & wtever Expence you have been at
with him You ought to render an Accot of to Captn Frazier who
is their Paymaster & will no Doubt pay the Money to your
order.

We have no News by the last Accots from New
York the Army was not yet in motion. We have a Sort of an Expedition
gone to the River St Johns to Oppose a Banditti that is said
to be on their way to make a Second Attack upon Cumberld. this
Expedition is commanded by Major Studholm.

Col Goreham's Miserable Corps are going to
the Divel two of them are broke with infamy & dismissed the
Service to Witt Lieuts. Blood & Willson Major Batt is going
to Head Quarters with Charges agst. Colo. Goreham wch. If proved
will infallibly end in his Destruction & if not in that of
Batts to be Sure Batt does notScruple
in the most public Companys to call him all the Villains Scoundrels
Rascals & in short the worst he can think of. I was like
to forget telling you that Lieut Bodwin the Frenchman is Shot
Dead upon theSpot by Lt Conner in a duel.

Give my Compts to old Mr Burns & tell
him I amglad to inform him that his Son
has kept himself Clear of those ugly Scrapes in that unhappy
Corps. Bepleased to offer my humble respects
to Mrs Callbeck tho' Unacquaint'd & all other friends &
believe me to be Sincerely Dr Sir